Southeastern Symposium Showcases Scholarship Across the Disciplines

“The Southeastern Symposium is a showcase of scholarship at SEBTS,” commented Christy Thornton, Associate Director of PhD Studies and Director of the ThM Program. “We invite students and scholars around the world to hear and be encouraged by the writings of the SEBTS faculty, PhD students, and alumni. We hope that the content of the papers spurs attendees on in their own research and scholarly development. Further, that by hearing our faculty, students, and alumni discuss their papers, they are encouraged to continue stewarding their academic gifts in a way that will serve the Church and fulfill the mission.” 

Thornton and Jake Pratt, Assistant Professor of New Testament and Hermeneutics and Director of PhD Studies, gave a few opening remarks about the history of the symposium and this year’s dual format in person and online. Pratt remarked that he has been “amazed at the global impact of the event.” Pratt also noted that Southeastern’s PhD program has adopted a more intentional global emphasis, “training majority world students” and “sending our own students” to teach in international contexts. 

This year’s symposium included seven presentations aimed at expanding critical scholarship and equipping the Church: 

• “Revisiting Romans 11:26: The Salvation of the Elect of Ethnic Israel” by Benjamin Merkle, M.O. Owens Jr. Chair of New Testament Studies and Professor of New Testament and Greek at SEBTS 
  
• “After Exile: The Eternal Covenant and Shifting Expectations in the Books of Jeremiah and Ezekiel” by Tracy McKenzie, Professor of Old Testament and Hebrew at SEBTS 
• “The American Seminary as a Textual Community: Reclaiming a Vision” by Steve McKinion, Professor of Theology and Patristic Studies at SEBTS  
• “The Gospel for Disordered Lives” by Kristen Kellen, Assistant Professor of Biblical Counseling at SEBTS 
• “What the Imagination Can Do” by Benjamin Holloway, Assistant Professor of Philosophy and History of Ideas at SEBTS 
• “The Relationship of the Seal, Trumpet, and Bowl Judgments and the Day of the Lord in Revelation” by Dave Phillips, Director of Student Resources and Financial Aid at SEBTS 
• “Race Reconsidered: Thomistic Hylomorphism and the Metaphysics of Race” by Chris Lee, Student Success Coordinator and Adjunct Instructor of Philosophy and Apologetics at SEBTS

“In the SEBTS PhD program, we seek to equip scholars for the vocation of teaching and academic research to serve the church,” shared Thornton. ”In the Symposium, we give an opportunity for students and alumni, who are shaped by the PhD program, and the faculty, who shape those students, to share their work for the benefit of the attendees and their ministries.”  

Recordings of the sessions will be made available here. 

Interested in learning more about the PhD Program at SEBTS? Visit sebts.edu/phd.